G Suite Improvements Continue With Updates To Access Checker

- April 04, 2018

This week's ongoing G Suite improvement updates have continued, with new changes now being applied to Google Drive's Access Checker. That's according to a new official blog post for the service which outlines two sets of adjustments being made to ensure that sharing files via other G Suite applications is easier than ever. As is likely expected, those are split between forward-facing changes visible to users and changes that will only be seen by domain administrators. However, the combination of improvements should make managing file sharing within an organization and externally a much more intuitive process.

For starters, administrators can now choose what type of sharing is available to end-users within an organization or enterprise setting. There are three options to choose from that will fundamentally change how users access and distribute files. The first allows them to be shared with recipients both in the organization and outside of the organization via a link with no Google account required to access the shared file. The second allows link sharing only within the organization. Finally, admins can also set things up more strictly so that files can only be shared within the organization without link-based sharing enabled. For end-users and other members, Access Checker will automatically check recipients for authentification and permissions before allowing files to be shared. However, the tool's interface brings new ways for individual users to check which recipients might actually need the file as they are getting ready to send it out. For example, the interface will now show names and addresses that don't currently have access to the file, in order to determine whether or not they have already received it. That should cut down on duplicate sharing and similar issues. It will also use that information to actively and intelligently determine who might need access to a given file so that it can be sent to those directly by default. Finally, more file types will be supported by Google Drive's sharing features in a given "Team Drive."

The features are already rolling out to the G Suite's rapid release channel and scheduled release is expected to begin in earnest in a few weeks. The changes will be hitting every edition of G Suite, as well, rather than being limited to specific subscription types. However, this will be an extended roll-out. So admins shouldn't be too concerned if they haven't seen it show up just yet on any of the release schedules since Google says it could take as many as 15 days before the update is finalized.